While Many Users Are Aware Of AirPlay, Only A Few Are Actually Using It

Even though a recent survey shows that AirPlay is the most well-known screen mirroring technology, Apple has a long way to go to make it mainstream.

The NPD Group surveyed more than 2,600 tablets and smartphone owners throughout the first three months of this year. More than 20 percent of the group were aware of AirPlay and what it does. Less than 15 percent of the group knew about competing technologies from Samsung and Microsoft.

And only a miniscule 3 percent of the participants have actually used AirPlay to stream content from an iOS device to their TV.

Of the people who used any screen sharing technology, almost 75 percent have used it to watch videos. And a little more than half have shared pictures. I was a little surprised that only 20 percent have used it for video games.

John Buffone, from The NPD Group, said the numbers really indicate that the technology is new, and that the awareness numbers are actually decent:

“Breaking into the mass-market is often a challenge with a new technology,” said Buffone. “Currently, several of the screen mirroring applications such as AirPlay and AllShare require specific devices to operate. Bringing screen sharing experiences to a larger consumer base will require simplifying hardware requirements as well as amplifying the value of being able to share content across screens.”

What does Apple need to do for AirPlay to take off?